Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
closed access
Following the pioneer work of Bettie,Ortner and McRobbie, this thesis analyzes how cultural discourses arisen from big societal trends in the last decades have contributed to a limited...Show moreFollowing the pioneer work of Bettie,Ortner and McRobbie, this thesis analyzes how cultural discourses arisen from big societal trends in the last decades have contributed to a limited consideration of young women’s class realities. As the internet has become part of everyday life, it has opened up new possibilities for identity formation and representation. Following the increasing blurring between offline and online spaces and identities, the analysis also looks at class, at the intersection of other social axes, as it acquires a transmediated nature, and presents the ways in which online presence and practice remains highly classed and gendered. The three chapters unveil the influence of postfeminism, neoliberalism, and postindustrialism on class expressions, the impact of digital spaces on identity negotiation, and the agency of young women in countering dominant discursive structures. Through an intersectional and transmediated lens, this work emphasizes the importance of recognizing class complexities within contemporary identities. By connecting historical insights with present-day considerations, it contributes to a comprehensive understanding of class dynamics and the nuanced interactions between class, gender, and digital spaces. Current considerations include the content of popular discourse and media, the use of digital spaces and a conceptualization of internet aesthetics such as 'cottagecore' and 'dark academia'. Each chapter offers a specific lens into why and how the class realities of young women are both expressed and hidden through the current prevalent discourses informing the construction, explanation and understanding of young women’s identities.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
closed access
During the 2011-revolutions in the MENA region called the Arab Spring, women and men collectively took to the streets to demand bread, freedom, social justice, and human dignity. After the...Show moreDuring the 2011-revolutions in the MENA region called the Arab Spring, women and men collectively took to the streets to demand bread, freedom, social justice, and human dignity. After the revolutionary momentum had passed, women were excluded from the political domain, including the policymaking process. Based on the cases of Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, this thesis examines the structures that restrain women from participating in politics by looking at both formal and informal politics. Broadening the analytical field in the study of policymaking while adopting an anthropological approach, this thesis criticises modernisation theory by showing how development is not a linear process by considering the role of religion and patriarchalism. It explains why despite women striving for similar demands as men, one cannot adopt a gender-blindness approach to reflect upon women’s aspirations and demands in politics. Besides, it shows how women increasingly were able to problematise their aspirations and demands by participating in physical and digital activism. However, the exclusion of women from institutional decision-making processes and the patriarchalist model of social order prevent the institutionalisation of women’s aspirations and demands into policies.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (BSc)
open access
Deze scriptie behandelt de constructie van gender en de manier waarop deze constructie verandert in Egypte door de Arabische Lente. Er is in Egypte veel ongelijkheid tussen mannen en vrouwen. Door...Show moreDeze scriptie behandelt de constructie van gender en de manier waarop deze constructie verandert in Egypte door de Arabische Lente. Er is in Egypte veel ongelijkheid tussen mannen en vrouwen. Door de Arabische Lente is de positie van de vrouw aangekaard. Ook vrouwen deden mee aan de protesten. Zij zetten zich niet alleen tegen de staat af maar ook tegen hun eigen huishouden. Zo willen zij gender in de dagelijkse praktijk, maar ook op staatsniveau veranderen. Op dagelijks niveau is de constructie van gender aangekaard en deels veranderd, maar op staatsniveau is dit nog niet behaald en het is maar de vraag of dit snel gaat lukken.Show less
